Tuning barrel for wind instruments



June 29, 1943. T. T. KEARNS TUNING BARREL FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed July 10, 1942 Iii/ 7. .3

Patented June 29, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUNING BARREL FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Thomas T. Kcarns, Grcenville, Pa.

Application July 10, 1942, Serial No. 450,367

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tuning barrels for wind instruments, and it is among the objects thereof to provide a tuning barrel for changing the pitch of the instrument without interrupting its use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tuning barrel of simple, compact construction, which shall function as an adaptor for the attachment of the mouthpiece to the body of the instrument.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of a tuning barrel which shall have a sealed fit while maintaining sliding engagement with the mouthpiece and which shall be of light and durable mechanical construction.

These and other objects will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view partially in crosssection of a mouthpiece and tuning barrel embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2! is a side elevational View partially in cross-section of the mouthpiece and tuning barrel;

Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33, Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 a view diagrammatically illustrating a clarinet to which the invention is applied.

With reference to the several figures of the drawing, the structure therein illustrated comprises a mouth piece I of hard rubber or other suitable material terminating in a mouthpiece 2 having an oral passage 3 leading to an inner cylindrical bore 4 that terminates in a shoulder 5.

A cork liner 6 is fitted in the cylindrical bore 4, and a tuning barrel generally designated by the numeral 1 constructed of very thin metal such as brass or other non-corroding substance is slidingly mounted in sealing engagement with the cork liner 6.

The member I is shown in extended position in Fig. l and in its contracted position in Fig. 2. The member I is provided with an enlarged portion 8 and a reduced portion 9 that fit into the neck of the wind instrument as shown in Fig. 4, the portion 8 having a tight fit with the instrument.

As previously explained, the cylindrical portion of the tuning barrel 1 that engages the cork liner 6 has a sliding fit therewith, but seals the panding to obtain variations in both the sharp oral passage leading to the body of the instrument.

By extending the tuning barrel as shown in Fig. 1, the volume of the tuning chamber is substantially increased, resulting in a lower pitch sound, while in the contracted position of Fig. 2 the volume of the tuning chamber is substantially decreased, resulting in a sharp sound.

The instrument may be designed to have a normal position of the tuning barrel from which adjustments may be made by contracting or exand low pitch sounds, or it may be designed to have a normal pitch in the contracted position with adjustment only for lower pitch sound by extending the tuning barrel.

Because of the relatively thin wall of the tuning barrel, there is no appreciable shoulder formed in the sound chamber that would interfere with the proper sound producing function of the chamber. Also, by means of the cork liner, adjustability between the tuning barrel and mouthpiece is permissible without disturbing the seal essential to the proper maintenance of the sound effect.

It is evident from the foregoing description of the invention that a tuning barrel made in accordance therewith provides for ready adjustment for pitch setting of the instrument without interrupting the use thereof, and without the need of applying attachments.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

In a wind instrument, a mouthpiece having a counterbore in the oral passage substantially the full length thereof and a resilient lining disposed in the counterbore with the inner wall of the lining flush with the oral passage and a tuning barrel having one end disposed for sliding movement in said mouthpiece lining and having its other end attached to the body of the instrument, said tuning barrel being of relatively thin wall section to minimize obstruction in the oral passage and having a smooth outer surface to maintain a pneumatic seal with the mouthpiece when the tuning barrel is adjusted for sound.

THOMAS T. KEARNS. 

